Hardwood floors are a beautiful but serious investment. Protecting and maintaining the surface of your hardwood floors is an important part of owning them. This flooring material shows all signs of dirt and grime, and therefore, cleaning should happen frequently. However, hardwood floors are a delicate material and must be maintained using soft and specific methods.

If you’ve just installed new hardwood floors into your home and aren’t quite sure about the best way to maintain them, don’t fret! Hardwood floor maintenance can be made simple and fun, if you know what you’re doing and stay on top of it. Read on to find all our tips and tricks to keeping your hardwood flooring in polished and pristine shape. 

Here are our hardwood floor maintenance techniques

Daily cleaning

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Surface damage happens quite easily on hardwood flooring, and it happens more readily if floors aren’t being maintained. It is important that homeowners clean their hardwood floors daily, as this will help them to avoid damage and keep flooring looking good as new! Sweeping your floors on the daily won’t be as effective as it might be on other flooring materials, as the dirt will be pushed around and may end up in the cracks of the floors.

Instead of using a broom, clean hardwood floors using a microfibre cloth, as this will prevent against scratches as well as surface damage. Microfibre uses static electricity and traps dirt and allergens that may otherwise embed themselves in the surfaces of your home. This type of fibre will allow you to clean your floors daily without risking the damage that a harsh broom might otherwise create. 

Weekly maintenance

Aside from daily cleaning the hardwood floors, homeowners who want to keep the natural grain, texture and pattern of the wood will need to perform specific cleaning methods weekly. It is important to make certain that dirt, dust and grime do not find their way into the grain of the floor. As mentioned, brooms will trap dust and grit in the grain, so it is best to avoid this method of cleaning.

Moping your hardwood floors at least once a week is recommended. However, it is important to remember that wood and water do not mix, and therefore, avoid using an excess of liquid when mopping your hardwood floor. The best mopping method is to lightly mist floors with a hardwood floor cleaner and gently move your mop in a back and forth motion.

Also make sure to avoid using vinegar, soap-based, wax or steam cleaners, as these will dull the natural beauty and sheen of hardwood flooring. If you plan on using a vacuum to clean hardwood flooring, it would be best to use a model that has special attachments specific to hardwood. Canister vacuums are the surest way to get rid of dirt and dust. 

Advanced hardwood floor cleaning methods

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Some alternate methods of care will need to be performed over time. Your hardwood floors should be polished a few times a year, as polishing will refresh the shine and texture of your floors while protecting the hardwood itself. Further, polishing your floor will fill in any scratches that have occurred over time as well as evening out the protective surface of your hardwood floor.

The polishing process will not be difficult and can be easily completed by any homeowner. Every other year, your hardwood floors will need to undergo a thorough cleaning. At their own discretion, homeowners should consider giving their floor a deep-clean as well as sanding them down. Sanding will work to completely remove the old protective finish and refinishing will replace it. Most hardwood floors have a polyurethane finish, which is often glossy, and the finish is in place to shield floors from harm. 

Other things to consider

Of course, like any flooring material, hardwood will wear over time even if maintained as diligently as possible. It is important not to stress too much and take some extra considerations into mind to extend the life of this beautiful flooring material. If your hardwood floors extend to the entrance and exit doors of your home, it is recommended that homeowners consider placing mats at entryways or areas with high traffic.

This will help to minimize the amount of dirt and debris that may otherwise burrow itself into your hardwood flooring. Further, bear in mind that high traffic areas will need more attention then others, so if you notice a bit of extra dull below the kitchen sink or around the counter, it is ok to clean and polish these areas more frequently than others.